Drone-based offroad vehicle routing

A system for off-road drone-based routing, comprising:

• a vehicle comprising an output display, and a processor coupled to first sensors and configured to receive input data via the first sensors;
• and
• an aerial drone comprising second sensors, the drone and the vehicle being configured to establish a data link for exchanging data therebetween, wherein:
• the drone is configured to scout an identified region based on instructions from the vehicle, to engage the second sensors for detecting features relevant to possible vehicle routes to a destination in the region, and transmit input data from the second sensors back to the vehicle;
• and
• the processor is configured to selectively assess relevance of the input data from the first and second sensors, to determine, optimal routes to the destination based on the selective assessment, and to display the optimal routes to a driver via the output display.

A method of operating a vehicle communicatively coupled to an aerial drone, comprising:

• receiving input data via first sensors positioned on the vehicle;
• issuing instructions to the drone to aerially scout a target region and engage second sensors equipped therein to detect, when in flight, topographic features relevant to possible vehicle routes;
• receiving, from the drone responsive to the instructions, information including input data captured by the second sensors while the drone is in the flight;
• using the input data from both the first and second sensors to determine optimal vehicle routes from a present location of the vehicle to a destination in the target region;
• and
• displaying information comprising the optimal vehicle routes on an output display.